S.Africa’s rapid bus transit system underperforming: Treasury

With the implementation of the rapid bus transit system in Johannesburg and Cape Town, Government had anticipated 85 000 weekday passengers for Johannesburg’s Rea Vaya bus rapid transit system and 80 000 for Cape Town’s My Citi bus rapid transit system.

But numbers are well below the estimated figures.

“The Rea Vaya bus rapid transit system in Johannesburg carries an average of 45 000 weekday passengers and the My Citi bus rapid transit system in Cape Town carries an average of 50 000 weekday passengers,” said Treasury.

Despite the slow progress in the rapid bus system government has increased the transport budget by 44 151 rand.

Nhlanhla Nene, the minister of finance, spoke of the advancements in the country’s overall public transport system with a specific focus on the railway system.

“The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa has concluded a 53 billion rand contract to replace over 500 commuter trains over the next ten years,” it said

Treasury said the advancement of the public transport system is to create a linkage system that’s easy for people to use. In time they hope to connect the smaller feeder services such as taxis to the larger transport systems such as trains.

A member of treasury mentioned that one of the ways they are trying to incentivise people to use public transport is by the use of the tolling system.

“First we have to get people to pay the tolls; then we can consider increasing them,” said Treasury.